Vertical slat venetian blind spacing



April 1957 A. J. T01! 2,790,492

VERTICAL SLAT VENETIAN BLIND SPACING Filed May 10. 1954' A (11/ 7/ r 2 uns IN VEN TOR.

AA/PREW J 7'a BY United States Patent I f'ice VERTICAL SLAT VENETIAN BLIND SPACING Andrew J. Toti, Modesto, Calif.

Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,578

Claims. (Cl. 160-173) This invention relates to Venetian blinds of the type wherein the slats hang vertically from their upper ends, each from a carrier movable along a horizontally extending track from a position with the slats spaced, to a position with the slats bunched close together at one end of the track, and which slats may also be turned to any desired degree from the slats extending at right angles 7 to the track, or at a slanted angle to close the spaces between them.

The present improvement has to do with means for positively controlling the spacing of the slats to maximum without using a spacing tape or cord for this purpose as heretofore, and which through shrinkage, stretching, and breaking from constant folding and unfolding has heretofore been a troublesome feature of such vertical slat blinds which is overcome by the improvement described herein, and several forms of which are shown in the drawings accompanying this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a bottom plan view of several of my improved vertical slat suspending carriers shown in endwise engaging relation and as pulled out as far as they will go to give maximum separation to any slats suspended therefrom.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the carriers of Fig. 1 also in horizontal extension and with the slats in position on the supporting hanger rings or loops of the carriers.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the carriers shoved together showing their overlapping relation when the slats are drawn together as by the pull cord, the cord not being shown.

Fig. 4 is a view of the extreme end of the last carrier to the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of an arched overhead traverse track showing a master carrier riding on the confronting edges of the track.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the master carrier which suspends the last slat of a series, and receives several regular carriers, and to which master carrier the pull cord is attached to pull it along the track either way to open or close the blind as a whole.

Fig. 7 is a view of the right end of the master carrier showing several regular carriers attached within it.

Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal cross section of Fig. 6 taken along the line 88 thereof, and showing the pull cord securing clips.

Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a few carriers in partially extended engagement, of a slightly difierent design from those of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is an end view of one of the carriers of Fig. 10 shown in engagement with the confronting edges of the traverse track.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a still further modification of a carrier with extending tongue to engage the next carrier and showing a portion of the upper end of a slat suspended from a ring formed on the carrier.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a few of the car- 2,790,492 Patented Apr. ,30, 1957 tiers of Fig. 12 in end to end engagement as they would be when supported on a traverse track.

To give a clear understanding of the invention so that the-detailed description of the drawings will be clear, it may be said that there are numerous ways of sliding and turnably suspending the slats of the vertically extending slat type of Venetian blind, and that one way is to provide a horizontally extending overhead track like an in verted U fitted with small carriers or sliders grooved at opposite sides to slidably engage the confronting edges of the inverted U-shaped track, with each carrier suspending one slat from its upper end by a link or other device, and the carriers are connected together by a flexible cord or tape, or chains, to limit their separation from each other,

and as these cords stretch and shrink and wear out from constant flexing, the present invention was devised to dispense with tapes or the like for the above purpose and provide an extending tongue of sheet metal or its equivalent from each carrier which will engage the next adjacent carrier to definitely limit the separating distance of the carriers yet permit them all to be pushed close to one another, with the tongues automatically assuming an overlapping assembly when so moved. The sheet metal or the like connection between the carriers may take various forms, some of which are shown in the drawings, and any of which also have a stabilizing efifect on the carriers on the track since one being connected to the next one and so on the carriers cannot individually become twisted to jamb on the track as short individual carriers often do, and this being the case each carrier may have but a very small contact with the track and hence pull along or slide much easier without resort to the use of small rollers as sometimes done on sliders used for supporting heavy drapes and portiers.

In Figs. 1 to 7 each carrier or slider and its extension tongue is formed as a unit of sheet metal or plastic, an elongated body 1 being the tongue and a bent down portion 2 being considered the carrier formed with a ring 3 or loop to which a link 4 suspends a vertical Venetian blind slat 5. In the present showing the suspending rings 3 are bent at an angle of about 45 degrees to suit the operation of turning the slats on their vertical axes as shown in my copending patent application filed under Serial 300,064 on date of July 21, 1952, but the particular suspension device need not be slanted, nor even be a ring or loop, but may be any device to suspend a vertical slat as variously shown in the art, as the present invention is concerned principally with the extended mutual positive engaging construction of the sliders or carriers to form positive limit stops to their separation.

Each extension or tongue 1 has a hook 6 formed on its extreme end and which hook has a neck 7 fitting easily in a slot 8 of the adjacent carrier tongue and overlapping the margins of the slot as indicated at 6 in Fig. 1 so as to prevent disengagement unless one carrier is twisted at to pass its elongated hook through the slot of the next carrier.

Between the portions 1 and 2 notches 9, 9, are formed to receive the confronting edges 10, 10, of a hollow channel-like track 11 which extends horizontally to carry the weight of the blind and permit transverse movement of the carriers and their slats to the bodily open and closed positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. When the slats or carriers are all moved together, the tongues all stack up in overlapping position as indicated in Fig. 3.

It is obvious from what has been described so far that if the slats of the blind were all hanging from the carriers as described, they could be manually pushed or pulled to open or closed position like a portier, or draw cords could be attached to either or both end carriers, for operating them, but I prefer to provide a master carrier at, at least one end of the series of slats and to t 3 which thpull'c'o'rd 'is' attached and which master carrier is-"attached to the end 'carrier' and" itself"slides"' bodily and freely within the hollow track. This is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 where the master carrier is designated 12 and "it is formed with one slat suspending ring '3' and the first connecting regular carrier is hooked to 'it 'or' securedito' it as by cotterpin 13. ""Fheimastericarrierf lziis hol'low or tubular and receives several regularjca'rriers 1 which automatically stack up inside er it'as'indicated in Figs. "6 and 7 when the'slats with theirjcartiersare'drawnclose together. a V

' The control cord" 15 for pulling the'jm'aster carrier klnbwninthe art,- hence not: shown in the drawings.

*Inthe modified forms of theconnecting carriers'shown in Figs. 10 and 13 the first shows the,tongues19much narrower than those-of- Fig 1- and-both their free ends simply'made hooked as' at 20 to, more over a' guiding "loop 21 formed on the track engaging -'end'-22"which-is broaden-than the tonguesyand also forms part-'of'the notches 9 (see Fig. 11)- which engage the confronting edges ltd-10 ofthe track 11.

The form showninFig. 13 is-similanto thatof Fig. '10 but the tongues 22 are offset downwardly-M23 and formed with laterally extending lips 24 loosely=engaging under the next tongue 22 to slidably-eng'age the same.

--Inthe perspective view Fig. 12 the notches 9 which engage .the traverse track are clearly sh'ownand also the doubling over of the sheetmetal at -2S to getrounding-edges to ride along the upper and lower mar ginsofthe confronting edges of the track. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a similar sliding contact issecured by forming rounding indentations on thecarriers asat 27 and to slide more easily oneachother as well as on the track.

- Having thus described'several forms of the-improve- -ment and the operation of the inventionit will be-evi- :dent that it may be modified considerably within the spirit of the invention and as embraced within the scope of the appended claims- I therefore claim:

l: In a'verti'catslatblind'ofthecharacter described; an overhead horizontally disposed slotted track formed with confronting edges, slat carriers engaging said track edges for moving therealong, said carriers provided with a portion projecting downwardly through the slot to form a slat suspension connection, and each carrier provided with a stiff sheet material'tongue above the slot and extending .therealong in sliding engagement with the next carrier in overlying contact with its tongue.

2. In a vertical slat Fbh'ndQ-otithe character described, an overhead horizontally disposed slotted, track formed with confronting edges, slat carriers" engaging said track edges for movingsthere'along; said-carriers provided with a portion projecting downwardly through the slot to form a slat suspension connection, and each carrier provided with a stiff sheet material tongue above the slot and extending therealong insliding engagement with thetnext car'riefin overlying contact with its tongue, said tongues each provided with guiding means slidably aligning'itvvith the tongue below it, and limiting its withdrawal therefrom. 1

3:In a structure as set out in claim 2"said.portion projecting downward through the 'slot provided"with opposite 'open notches respectively receivingthe, confronting edges of the track, and further formed with lateral extensions riding on top of the track.

"4.?In a structureas set'out in claim 2 avspecial carrier at the end'of a series of the carriersprovided with means for securing an operating cord thereto, and provided with a hollow elongated body'arranged to receive several of "the" succeeding carriers therein in telescopic'relation.

5. In agstructure as" set out in claim 2"said portion projectingdownward'through the slotformed with a ringlike loop-extending downward at an angle away fronfthe carrier.

References Cited in the-fileof-this patent UN lTED' STATES PATENTS 

